What is under your tent?

What are you willing to sacrifice for? Where do you go first when you're in need? What makes you jealous? What do you think/talk about most? What can't you give up? 

This is your idol. 

Where to Find Fulfillment?

When I took my trip to Britain I had all kinds of expectations, many of which were met. I had amazing experiences that took my breath away and made me giddy with happiness. Nevertheless. After only a few hours I had the terrible realization that something wasn't quite complete. As I went through the rest of my trip I grew familiar with the sensation that I couldn't fully appreciate whatever it was that I was seeing (the Parthenon Marbles, the unique copy of Beowulf, the real-life Pemberley, etc.). I did think them magnificent, but at the same time there was a nagging feeling that I couldn't get as much enjoyment out of them as I thought I should. Have you ever had that feeling when seeing something you expected to be impressed by?

Buried Treasure, a photo by Evil Cheese Scientist on Flickr.

Under the Ban

While at Capernwray Bible School I heard a message from a man named Peter Reid about the Israelite's defeat at Ai in Joshua chapter 7. To be honest, this isn't a Bible story that we hear very often (not quite as dramatic as Noah and the Ark or exciting as the lion's den). But the message hit me right between the eyes.

Before Jericho was destroyed, God commanded His people to take no spoils for themselves but to dedicate them to Him. This wasn't being petty or selfish, it was setting aside the "firstfruits" of battle for His glory. These things were put "under the ban" to establish who was responsible for bringing Israel into Canaan. After Jericho they were allowed to keep 100% of the spoils. What a great deal!

But Achan became impatient.

This man coveted "a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight." He hid them under his tent. These things that God had claimed for his own, these things which were under the ban, became his idols.

My Idols

An idol is anything that you love more than God. It might not look like sin, but if it's a product of lust and not trust then that's exactly what it is. 

Those questions above, how would you answer them? For me during school it was a certain relationship. In general I am fine with the single girl's life. I love my independence and don't really fancy a boyfriend, or husband or anything like that. But every now and then...you know how it goes. You see people splitting off into couples, you start to feel left out, you get lonely, and then you ask God why you don't have that. 

Maybe it's something different for you—the freedom to travel, enough money to buy what you want, a less dysfunctional family, more friends—and you're even willing to sin to get it. You covet what is under the ban, and you've got something sparkly under your tent.

The Secret of Fulfillment

I have discovered the secret. It's not something you've never heard before, in fact I can almost guarantee that you know exactly what I'm going to write. However, application is a whole different ballgame. James 1:17, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." God gives good things, and without him no good thing is good (tweetable, eh?). He has been telling me to concentrate wholly on Him. I can't get the most out of life if I'm longing for this thing or that person—I've got to be 100% committed to Him or none of that is going to satisfy me.

If I'm seeking fulfillment and happiness in anything but Christ—whether it be a feeling, an experience, a person, an item—then I am coveting something under the ban, and it will never, ever, ever work.

Speaking from personal experience, I know that it is only when I give thanks to God for the good things around me that I truly appreciate them. I was feeling discontented with my trip to Britain because I felt that it should be that important. I longed for a special relationship because I thought it would be that good. Only when I stepped back and realized that I was searching for joy and satisfaction in something apart from my Heavenly Father could I understand why they didn't fill the hole in my heart. When I stop holding the people and experiences in my life to such a high standard and instead concentrate solely on God, I actually appreciate the other things much more.

What About You?

Are you focusing on something thinking it will bring you pleasure, and growing impatient instead of trusting God to give you good things? Having true faith means that Jesus is sufficient for you, and you operate out of trust, not lust. Listen to what A.W. Tozer had to say about this:

When religion has said its last word, there is little that we need other than God Himself. The evil habit of seeking God-and effectively prevents us from finding God in full revelation. In the "and" lies our great woe. If we omit the "and" we shall soon find God, and in Him we shall find that for which we have all our lives been secretly longing.

"...(H)e who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). When you seek the Kingdom first, you get the rest of the world thrown in.

Here is A.W. Tozer's prayer, one that would be good for us to repeat:

"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long."

More than Enough

Last but not least, here is a song that perfectly encapsulates what I've been learning and writing about. Let these words from "Enough" by Christ Tomlin sink in and repeat in your mind throughout the day:

All of You is more than enough for all of me

For every thirst and every need

You satisfy me with Your love

And all I have in You is more than enough....

Waiting For Marriage...or Not.

I don't think that God is calling you to wait for marriage. 

Waiting, a photo by h.koppdelaney on Flickr.

Now that I have your attention, I'll clarify. What picture comes to mind at the word "wait"? Perhaps it's a pair of hands folded submissively on a lap, a patient dog beside the door, or bored travelers at a bus stop. I've heard some people talk as if single young women should act like this: passive and stagnant. 

But what does God have to say about waiting?

In Matthew 25 Jesus told the parable of ten young women who had to wait all night for wedding festivities to begin. "Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps." When the bridegroom came along, guess which girls were ready to come out and meet him: the ones who were prepared.

I'm a homeschooled girl who has never had a boyfriend (gasp), and yes, sometimes it's difficult to imagine how I will ever meet Mr. Right unless it's through some kind of random accident. At times it's easy to ignore the fact that I'm single and I can throw myself into living a full and meaningful life, but sometimes it's easy to sit back and bemoan my fate, saying, "Well, I guess I have to wait." If you've ever been tempted to say that, then here is a wake-up quote for you:

A girl who lives a static life of waiting to be married is not attractive. Think what it conveys: “I’ll just sit here idly while waiting for someone to come and give me a purpose, and a house and money and food and make me happy and love me.” It’s very needy. A man wants a companion, not a sympathy case. 

-Debi Pearl, Preparing to Be a Helpmeet 

Let me tell you Lydia's story. Lydia is a beautiful woman with a heart on fire for God. For years her friends admired and appreciated her talents and passion, watching as she embarked on mission trips and made beautiful music with her hands and voice. She was cheerful, sweet, funny, adventurous, and strangely single. Why weren't there dozens of eligible young men snapping her up? 

Perhaps Lydia was thinking that too. I've heard her talk about her struggles in this area, how she wanted a husband but God didn't seem to want that for her. Well, she decided, if marriage wasn't part of the plan she would find out what was. So she took a trip to Israel with the sole purpose of praying and seeking God's heart. And guess what: she found a husband! The moment she stopped waiting for God's will and started doing God's will, Mr. Right fell into her life in an amazing way. 

All of this to say, don't wait, girls! Wait for intimacy, wait for giving your heart away, but for Heaven's sake don't wait to do something meaningful and purposeful in this world until you've found a mate. Unfold your hands and stop being "needy," do the things that will prepare you to be an amazing wife and an amazing woman, because you never know who could be watching....

 

mr. right

I'm pretty sure that, at some point, all little girls dream about something very similar. We all want a perfect wedding, with a special someone waiting at the end of the aisle for us. Many girls (/coughtotallynotmehonestcough) have had their entire wedding, from dress options to reception goodies, planned out since they were old enough to realize mommy and daddy had had a wedding, that this whole wedding thing was desirable, and that boys weren't all that bad. Some girls actually go so far as to cut out the man entirely, and plan a huge bash solely for their own benefit, in the naive hope that they can have a wedding without actually, you know, getting married. Thankfully, that stage ends right about at ten, and never really comes back.

It goes without saying that the future is a question with a lot riding on it. Even more than that is the question of who we're going to spend half of our lives with, and sometimes longer. So, to my mind at least, it's very important that we get this right. There are various ideas as to how exactly we can get it right.

Some girls choose the path of experimentation. They go through a variety of boyfriends, never quite settling down with any one, excusing it with the idea that they're saving up a list of characteristics they want, or just testing to see what they like, or just goofing off while they're young because YOLO, right? More than just spending time with guys and "dating", though, many girls also end up giving themselves in some form to one or more of the guys they date. Be it a few kisses, a few emotional concessions, or a night spent together in secret, they often go farther than they should, and realize too late that it's a mistake, that they shouldn't have ever gotten involved. Some of these girls have had "lines" that they weren't willing to cross.

I've seen so many girls give themselves away to someone who wasn't willing to be there for the rest of his life. He wasn't willing to embark upon a life spent together. Yet time and again, girls continue trusting, giving everything to someone who is undeserving. Is this what God intended for us, his daughters?

I would give an emphatic no in answer. I believe that God said:

...I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, NJKV)

He knows your future, every little side-plot and roadblock, every plot twist and turn, everything that has ever happened or ever will. He knows what you will name your children and, in their turn, he knows everything that will happen to them. He's got it covered, down to every single last, seemingly insignificant detail. He knows who you're going to marry, who will be the perfect fit to round out your service, to perfectly complement your personality and skills and make your future life the best it can be.

So trust him. Don't think you have to "shop around" to find that one perfect guy who will complete you. Don't think you have to do something to find God's best for you. He'll bring it. Wait for your Mr. Right, because I know God's got it covered.

Top 5 Tips for Making Friends

If there's one complaint about homeschooling that I hear more than any other, it is that homeschool students get less socialization than students at public schools. At rock bottom, that analysis is spot on--someone who is educated at home has a great chance of meeting fewer people during the school day than someone who is plunged into a morass of hundreds of peers for 6.7 hours 5 days a week. 


What it comes down to is that if you're homeschooled then you have to work a little harder to make friends. 

Three of my most precious friends! This photo was taken
at my cousin's (on the far left) wedding.

This is something I've definitely struggled with. I live out in the country on the outskirts of a small town (think less than 700 people), my parents are not social butterflies, we attend a tiny church, and I'm not part of a regular homeschool group. 


You can see why my circle of friends might be small.


However--and this is a big however--unless your parents have locked you in your bedroom with nothing but textbooks and a violin, you have no excuse for not having friends. If I can do it, anyone can!


Now this doesn't mean that you have to have at least three hundred people you're not related to called "friends" (check out Proverbs 18:24). At one time I was in a little theater production, working with strangers several days a week, and I realized that I didn't really want to be friends with all of them. I "clicked" with a few, however, and we still keep in touch. Sometimes a deep, small circle is better than a great big shallow one, but, you don't necessarily have to have one or the other. Here are my top 5 tips for anyone who wants to make some new friends:

1. Pray. Several years ago I was a little girl with only two or three people I could call friends--and one lived in California. I distinctly remember praying with all my heart that God would send a friend to me, a kindred spirit to laugh and grow up with. And you know what? A couple of months later I was blessed with that lovely lady second from the left in the photo above. What a gift!
2. Expose yourself. You'll never make friends if you never meet anyone. When doing a little research online I discovered one homeschool girl who makes friends at fencing practice, soccer practice, poetry club, drama club, chess club, art classes, kayaking, music classes, dances at the community center, conventions, camps, events at the library, volunteering, and more! There are so many opportunities to get out there and see a few new faces.
3. Be friendly. This might sound a bit obvious, but if you're naturally shy and reserved like me, you know how hard it can be to interact with strangers. However, I know that if I don't act welcoming, put people at ease, and--perhaps most importantly--share some of myself, I'm never going to get anywhere with a stranger. For you more outgoing types, be sure not to be overwhelming! Always treat others as you'd like to be treated :)
4. Follow up. If you need a reason to be on Facebook, this is probably it. As soon as you get home from chess club, connect with that nice redheaded girl and invite her to join you in a fun activity (ice skating, anyone?). Of course you don't have to have Facebook to do this, a telephone, email, or gasp face-to-face contact will suffice. You can't expect a stranger to remember you just because of your great personality, so make an effort and keep reaching out.
5. Don't give up. Maybe you've tried to start up conversations or correspondence with strangers, but it simply goes nowhere. Perhaps you have a lot of shallow relationships, but no one you feel you really know and trust. Don't throw in the towel yet! It may take years to foster an acquaintance into a bosom buddy, but keep praying, keep seeking, and keep being a friend to everyone you meet. The Lord Jesus is the dearest friend you will ever know, so follow him and see if he doesn't bring more friends to walk beside you! 

For more tips, check out "How to Make Friends As a Shy, Homeschooled Girl".

A Random Taste of What Is To Come....

Hello Girls!  Our topic for the next two weeks will be on friendship! This should be an awesome two weeks as the topic is an important part of our lives and has taught so many of us so many lessons.

However it has been really busy at our house for the past few weeks, so for this post I'm going to take some inspiration from some other sources :) 

The Gift Of Friendship

Found on Google Images

Friendship is a priceless gift
That cannot be bought or sold,
But its value is far greater
Than a mountain made of gold -
For gold is cold and lifeless,
It can neither see nor hear,
And in the time of trouble
It is powerless to cheer
It has no ears to listen,
No heart to understand,
It cannot bring you comfort
Or reach out a helping hand -
So when you ask God for a Gift,
Be thankful if He sends
Not diamonds, pearls or riches,
But the love of real true friends.

Helen Steiner Rice

 

What does the Bible have to say about Friendship? A lot!  Here are some of my favorite verses on the topic!

John 15:12-15 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."

Luke 6:31 "And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them."

Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe unto him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."  ~  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

What do some of the great men of history have to say on the topic of friendship? Well, let's find out! (This was fun, finding all these quotes =])

“Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?” C.S. Lewis

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine."
Thomas Jefferson

Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, "What? You too? I thought I was the only one." ~ Anonymous

“The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are.”  C.S. Lewis

But friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

 "A friend is a gift you give yourself." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me." ~ Henry Ford

"No soul is desolate as long as there is a human being for whom it can feel trust and reverence." ~ George Eliot

“Family not only need to consist of merely those whom we share blood, but also for those whom we'd give blood.”
― Charles Dickens



Found on Google Images

And what do our favorite heroines have to say?

Well.....

"Kindred Spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's spendid to find out there are so many of them in the world." - Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables

“Good books, like good friends, are few and chosen; the more select, the more enjoyable.” ~ Louisa May Alcott =]

“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” ~ Jane Austen Northanger Abbey

"If I take offence easily; if I am content to continue in cold unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love."  ~ Amy Carmichael

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. ~ Helen Keller

"Stay is a charming word in a friend's vocabulary." ~ Louisa May Alcott


  I hope you enjoyed this small taste =] It was neat to see how many famous people left quotes having to do with friendship.  It is truly a very important ingredient in this walk through life.

Have a wonderful week!

Top 5 Advantages to Homeschooling

As homeschoolers, we have some amazing opportunities that kids in the traditional school system can only dream of. Here are the main five I've noticed in my life. I have had a pretty lenient school schedule—I probably classify as an unschooler—so maybe some things are unique to my style of education.

1. Freedom in Education

For me, education isn't a chore that must be completed before 3pm before I can have any free time. Learning is a lifestyle.

I was never forced to write essays or create models, so I didn't dread compiling books on equine psychology or drawing maps of the migration paths of Australian parrots—entirely on my own terms. I didn't waste time answering every question in the curriculum when I thoroughly understood the material—in fact, I never took an English course. Once I got the basics down, my history lessons came from whatever books and websites and field trips I could get my hands on, allowing me to corroborate the facts from various sources rather than taking one viewpoint's word for it. I adored science and supplemented my usual curriculum with the latest in the journals.

Plato said, "All learning which is acquired under compulsion has no hold upon the mind." Because I wasn't taught under compulsion, the knowledge I've gained has taken firm root and my mind blossoms with passion for learning.

2. Lessons in Self-Discipline and Time Management

Did I ever take advantage of my freedom and shrink away to less constructive pastimes when I should have been doing something educational? Yes. I learned my lesson, and it's a much better lesson to learn at this stage in life than later on, when it really matters.

I had the opportunity to learn essential life lessons like self-discipline and managing time and putting priorities in order the hard way before failing a college class or getting fired from my day-job. My experiences will give me discretion in the years ahead, when I won't have my parents around to ensure I complete assignments on time.

3. Free Time

Unless I put a time-consuming task upon myself there's really nothing to hinder me from pursuits that don't fall under core classes, like classical piano and drama and sewing and horse training and novel- and screenwriting. I can take an hour or two to practice that Bach piece or rehearse lines for a play, or spend the afternoon teaching my horse to play fetch, or dedicate the month of November to the National Novel Writing Month. Or just read. Or write this very post.

Each of these things could potentially lead to a career (well, maybe not writing this post), so they're important skills to develop.

4. Making Friends

Some people find it mind-boggling that homeschoolers actually make friends. (Really, if most kids don't make friends outside of school, what kind of sad lives do they lead?) But one of the great advantages to homeschooling is that we get to meet people with similar interests, be it at band practice, soccer games, robotics competitions—you name it. And among homeschool groups, we're likely to meet people who share our values, adding an extra level of intimacy to our friendships.

The main issue that spurred this blog was how lonely we homeschooled girls often feel surrounded by the worldly people around us, but at least, as homeschoolers, we do have more opportunities to seek out people like us. Just last week I was able to attend a Christian writers' conference (thanks to not having a rigid school schedule holding me back). It was my third time going, and each year I've made friendships I believe will last a lifetime.

I might not get to see my friends every day (which is mostly because I live a weird life and my friends live far away--they see their other friends regularly), but I do have a number of wonderful, true friendships that run far deeper than those portrayed by the media.

And if we are blessed enough to have friends nearby, as I once did, we can spend time with them while our school-going peers are in class or doing homework. I cherish the many daytime hours I got to spend with my friends before I moved away.

5. Spending Time with Family

I have been asked, "Don't you hate being around your parents all day?" If this is the mindset, something is wrong. That's not to say I don't long at times to stretch my wings, but living at home has cultivated healthy relationships with my parents and a stronger bond than would probably have formed if I only saw my mother in the evenings and weekends. (Which is probably why I'm not as close with my father.) It can be hard at times to be at home so much, but I endeavor to be nothing but loving. If I can't do that with my own family, I can't do that with anyone else.

I was an only child before my brother was born year before last, so I'm thankful I'm able to spend as much time experiencing sisterhood as possible before I go away.


Homeschooling has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. I thank God daily for the opportunity to have such an education and for an unquenchable love of learning.

What great opportunities did you have through homeschooling that you couldn't have had otherwise?

Photo courtesy mikebaird on Flickr

Cry Out!

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and
delightful than that of a continual conversation with God."
~Brother Lawrence

crista moriah photography

It is so important to develop a close relationship with our Savior.  He must become so broken hearted when we {sometimes, not even meaning to} distance ourselves from Him with our silence.  The other day, Jesus opened my eyes to what His heart must feel like when that happens and we do not have a regular prayer life with Him.  I wrote a letter about it, sort of like a heart to heart from God to us...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Child,

It's been quite awhile since I've heard from you.

My heart has grown very lonely from the lack of our conversations. 

Please cry out to me.  Your lips have been silent too long.  I need to hear from you!

Where have you been?  The stretch between us has grown so far.  Our hearts need to be reunited!  We must share every little thing with each other once again. You casting your burdens on Me, knowing that I will take them without hesitation. You sharing your hopes and dreams; Myself smiling, looking ahead at the future and deciding what is the wisest thing for you.

I miss you.  I want to be close to you.  I love you.  Cry out to me...soon! 

Love,

Your Father in Heaven

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The key to having a good prayer life is being disciplined about it. 

It seems as though when I try to have time with Him, things come up. Satan will not waste any opportunites to distract us from prayer, reading the Word, or anything that will benefit us spiritually.

Francois Fenelon once said, "Time spent in prayer is never wasted." How true are these words! Commit to praying for 10 minutes a day to begin with, then add a little more each day. Simple, right?

Sometimes, it's easy to view prayer as "just another thing to do" or a chore, but instead it should be an intimate part of our relationship with Jesus.  We should view our prayer time as precious moments to spend pouring out all of our hopes, dreams, and fears to His compassionate ears.  He cares.  He loves us dearly and longs for a close relationship with us!  As Jesus says to us in the Love Letter to us, "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you..." {James 4:8} 

Once we start pouring our hearts out to Him, it creates a feeling of joyous freedom in our souls--

It causes us to draw near to God--it strengthens us!

crista moriah photography

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I believe it is important to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.

So many times I have been encouraged by a friend saying that they are praying for me. 

It always seems to lift your spirits knowing someone cares about you.

"The greatest gift we can give to others is our prayers."

~Unknown

If there is anything you would like to share with me, please do not hesitate to drop a comment at the bottom of this post--I would love to be able to pray for you. :)

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Stay strong, dear sisters!  Let us strive to cry out to Him each and every day!

Prayer: Our Link To An Amazing Relationship

I would like to invite you to open your imagination with me for a few minutes and allow me to paint a few strokes across your canvas.

It's early in the month of October.  You are looking at a brilliant colored sunrise just peeking over the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.  You know the type I mean; scarlet red, deep, rich orange, with hints of pink softening the edges.  The first rays of sunlight streaming through the clouds.

You can hear the soft "slap, slap, slap" of the waves as they ripple across the shoreline and almost smell that salty spray, while the colors from the sunset are reflected.

Sitting on the sand close together with their eyes captivated by the sunrise before them, you will find a young couple.  Both are unaware of the beauty that is radiating from them.  Joy is reflected in their eyes.  Peace and trust are found in they way they are sitting.  There is truly a sense of deep contentment in their presence.

Behind them are the rocky cliffs of the Maine shoreline followed by wave upon wave of the rich, pure colors found in the New England foliage.

The young man looks down at the woman he loves with a love she can not imagine.  He holds her hand with such gentleness as it rests between the pages of a book he wrote for her.  You see, the young man can not verbally speak to her, but he can and does write to her.  He can write of his love for her, his plans for their future, he can encourage her and give her the leadership and guidance she desires.  He fulfills every longing  she has had and is the one she has given her heart to.

The young woman looks at the sunrise and the waters reflecting its beauty and a tear comes to her eye.  What had she done to deserve such love.  Nothing. She looks into the eyes of her young man and reads within them the love, forgiveness and understanding she has sought for.

He points at the sunrise and sweeps his arm across the ocean and then behind them to the beauty that surrounds them.  She nods her head.  She understands.  He has made everything for her.  It was one more way He showed her how much he cared for her. 

She rests her head on his shoulder.  There was no place she would rather be.  The more time she spent with him the closer they became.  Whenever she had a question or needed help, he was there and had written something in their special book to encourage, direct and guide her.  No matter the time of day, no matter the situation, he helped her and she could rest in knowing he was in control of everything.

Yes, this was an allegory.  An allegory to what I believe God wants my relationship and your relationship  to be with Him.  Just as the girl knew that she was safest and happiest in his presence, so must I learn to spend more time with Him and seek His face.

If you were that young lady, wouldn't you want to spend all your time with Him.  Talking with Him about everything because your heart was held safely with Him.

The girl's relationship would not grow unless she spent the time.  How many relationships do you know that grow stronger and stronger everyday, when there is no communication, no thoughts towards the other person, no time spent cultivating the relationship?  I don't know of one.

God loves us more than we can imagine.  He can and will fulfill every desire that comes from Him.  However we won't experience that joy, peace and complete trust found in the presence of the young couple, with our Heavenly Prince, unless we spend the time with Him and cultivate that relationship.  Talk to Him.  He wants us to.

I've read many times how people have spent hours praying with God and I've thought to myself, "How do they do that?  How do they spend that much time praying and staying focused while finding that much to pray about?".....And then I read Sarah Mally's book (I talked about this book in my first post).  She gave an example of how to pray for an hour.  Breaking it up into 5 minute increments.  Her example was:

5 minutes ~ Worship

5 minutes ~ Thanksgiving

5 minutes ~ Confession

5 minutes ~ Pray Psalms to the Lord

5 minutes ~ Pray for your authorities

5 minutes ~ Pray for your missionaries

5 minutes ~ Pray for your unsaved family and friends

5 minutes ~ Other general requests

5 minutes ~ Ask for wisdom, grace, and humility is specific areas in which you know you need to change

5 minutes ~ Personal requests

5 minutes ~ Ask God for abundant blessing

5 minutes ~ Praise and Thanksgiving [1]

Obviously you can personalize the list, but you would be surprised how fast time goes! When I tried it the first time, I found I had to give more time to certain requests and the hour was gone.  It was a special time, and when I finished, it reminded me of how I feel after I've had a long talk with a friend that I haven't seen in ages. - An inner joy at having shared with each other things that have happened in our lives and knowing that the link between the two of us has grown stronger.
If that young man was your fiancee or husband we would make the time and plan ahead.  Just think how much God loves us and how important our relationship with Him is.  We need to plan it into our day and spend the time.  He is our dream Prince Charming if only we would only spend the time.

Footnotes: 1. Before You Meet Prince Charming by Sarah Mally pg. 217